Is online sports betting legal in India?
The field of sports betting is gaining fans every year, including in India. Gambling, as well as any other options of activity, must not violate the current legislation of the state. In India, the issue is resolved as follows: in 1867 a Public Gambling Act was adopted to prohibit casinos and gambling houses in the country. At the same time, this legislative act does not contain a ban on the organization and participation in online betting. This suggests that bookmaker activities through sites is legal and not prohibited, provided that there is a valid license. That is why it is so important to know which platforms satisfy these conditions, what license they have and where they work.
Territorial legislative regulation
It is known that each state in India can define its own separate laws. That is why on the territory of almost each of them there are certain provisions governing online betting. Such areas include:
| Name | Characteristic |
| Telangana | The Telangana Gambling Act of 2017. Sets a ban on betting shops and casinos, no mention of online activities. |
| Maharashtra | Online sports betting is in a “gray area”. Note that at the same time totalizators and lotteries are legal in full. |
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh Gambling Act. It was amended in 2020 and bans all forms of gambling, with no mention of online betting. |
| Karnataka | Karnataka State Police Act. This act banned land-based gambling establishments. |
| Uttar Pradesh | The regulations of the territory establish a ban on absolutely all forms of offline betting. There is no mention of online. |
The Union Territory of Diu, Goa and Daman were the first in the country to legalize gambling houses. It is followed by the state of Sikkim, which since 2008 has had the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, which regulates it in its territory. Overall, it must be concluded that online betting is legal in India. Nevertheless, in order to avoid some problems, it is still worth using licensed platforms.
Bookmaker companies with licensed operations
As a rule, information about special permission is on the official pages. And there is a special guide https://plusbet.in/ for those who do not want to do the searching and comparative characterization on their own. Thus, to the most popular platforms that provide licensed online betting and other entertainment activities are:
- Parimatch;
- 4rabet;
- 1win;
- Betway;
- 1xBet;
- Melbet;
- Betwinner;
- 22Bet and much more!
Each of these portals is famous for its features and entertainment, promotions and bonuses, odds and markets, online broadcasts, statistical information about the matches, sports, various national and international tournaments and much more!
Licenses and their features
As has been said, each of the platforms in India operates under a special permit. Each one is different, with its own details and peculiarities. These include:
| License | Bookmaker Company |
| Malta | Betway |
| Curacao | 22Bet, Parimatch, 4rabet, 1xBet |
You can also visit the official websites of the platforms to verify that the information provided to you is accurate. Almost everywhere in the popular questions section, the characteristics of the licensed permits are explained.
Rules for choosing a betting platform
Choosing the right betting platform with a special license will allow you to avoid problems such as financial and personal data leakage. A short guide on how to choose:
- The presence of a license;
- Many sports options for betting;
- A wide choice of methods and ways of payment systems;
- Support service and much more!
This is what you should pay attention to in the first place. Use this guide and you’ll never have any problems with violating the legal laws of India.
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